All cases

Filtered by: Theft

Multiple churches in Belfort targeted with vandalism and break-ins

March 15, 2026, France

During the night of 14 to 15 March, Sainte-Croix Church in Chèvremont was vandalised, with doors forced open, consecrated hosts found on the ground, and sacred objects stolen. Authorities and the parish have filed complaints.

Vandalism and theft at Catholic church and Bosco School in Rosarno

March 5, 2026, Italy

Unknown perpetrators vandalised a Catholic school and the nearby parish church in Rosarno, Italy, stealing furnishings and parts of the church infrastructure. The attack targeted both a Catholic educational institution and a place of Christian worship. The incident reflects hostility toward Christian community spaces rather than a theft motivated by the value of the items taken.

Repeated Burglary Targets Sacred Objects in Quarrata Church

February 27, 2026, Italy

In Quarrata, three ancient chalices and some sacred furnishings were stolen from the Church of Catena but later recovered. Similar incidents have occurred in nearby parishes, pointing to a rising pattern of local church thefts.

Repeated church thefts in Rouen target sacred Christian objects

February 24, 2026, France

Two men have been arrested for a series of four church burglaries in Rouen, during which sacred objects of spiritual importance were stolen. The thefts targeted items essential to Christian worship, including consecrated hosts and liturgical vessels, from the churches of Val-de-la-Haye and Hautot-sur-Seine. The crimes were deliberate, and the stolen objects have not yet been recovered.

Consecrated Hosts Stolen from Two Rural Churches

February 20, 2026, France

Two churches in Buchy and Rouvray‑Catillon were broken into during the night, with consecrated hosts taken in what the Archdiocese of Rouen denounced as a grave act of desecration.

Vandalism and Theft Target Parish Patronage in Mestre

February 5, 2026, Italy

The patronage of the Church of Santa Maria di Lourdes in Venice has been repeatedly affected by vandalism, theft attempts and intrusions, prompting the parish priest to install protective fencing at the entrance. The incidents were reported in early February 2026 following a series of disturbances around the parish facilities.

Bergisch Gladbach Church Closed After Arson and Vandalism

January 27, 2026, Germany

St Laurentius Church in Bergisch Gladbach was closed following repeated acts of vandalism, including arson, damage to pews, and theft of items from the interior.

Sviatohirsk Lavra Skete Targeted in Theft and Vandalism

January 25, 2026, Ukraine

In Donetsk region, Ukraine, a skete of the Holy Dormition Sviatohirsk Lavra was targeted in a theft and act of vandalism during the night of 24–25 January 2026, resulting in the theft of bells and sacred objects from the religious site.

Main Altar Cross Stolen at Saint‑Winoc Church

January 25, 2026, France

A theft at the Église Saint-Winoc in Plouhinec, Finistère, was reported on 25 January when the cross from the church’s main altar was removed by unknown perpetrators, parish authorities confirmed.

Roadside Shrine Targeted In Theft

January 24, 2026, Poland

A statue of the Virgin Mary disappeared from a small roadside shrine in the Bródno district of Warsaw, Polish media reported. The figure was taken from a chapel located on Syrokomli Street, where it had been kept behind glass.

Nativity Scene Theft Reported at Church in Grone

January 19, 2026, Italy

A theft occurred at the church of Santa Maria Nascente in Grone in mid-January, when two individuals from the Milan area stole a ceramic statuette of the infant Jesus from the church’s nativity scene.

Profanation at Église Saint-Sever: Theft of Consecrated Hosts

January 16, 2026, France

At the Église Saint-Sever in Rouen, France, consecrated hosts were stolen from the tabernacle of the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament on 16 January 2026, an act described as grave profanation.

Woman Stole and Burned Church Gospel Book

January 14, 2026, Poland

Police identified and detained a 41‑year‑old woman who stole a Gospel book from a church in Nowy Tomyśl and later burned it, with residents assisting in her identification.

Fifteen Nativity Figures Taken from Church in Doganella di Ninfa

January 12, 2026, Italy

At a church in Doganella di Ninfa, 15 nativity scene statues, each measuring about 30 centimetres in height, were stolen.

Holy Family Statuettes Stolen from Montoro Church

January 1, 2026, Italy

The Holy Family statuettes were stolen from a Nativity scene at a church in Montoro.

Nativity Scene Stolen from Brandara Parish Church

December 30, 2025, Portugal

The nativity scene at the Parish Church of Brandara, in Ponte de Lima, was stolen during the night from Monday into Tuesday.

Theft of Jesus Figurine from Nativity Scene in Sopot

December 29, 2025, Poland

Police released surveillance footage after a figurine depicting Jesus was stolen from a public nativity scene in front of the Church of St George in Sopot on the night of 29 December.

Consecrated Hosts Stolen from a Spanish Church

December 28, 2025, Spain

The tabernacle of a church in Valladolid was forced and consecrated Hosts were stolen. This was the second such incident in the diocese this year, and Archbishop Luis Argüello has announced a public act of reparation.

Parish Reports Repeated Vandalism in Local Churches

December 24, 2025, Italy

On 24 December 2025, the parish priest of the church of the Sacro Cuore publicly reported repeated acts of vandalism, including repeated property damage and anti-Christian graffiti, affecting churches in Sant’Egidio.

Series of Thefts Target Outdoor Nativity Scenes in Solliès‑Ville

December 19, 2025, France

Multiple Nativity displays in Solliès‑Ville were stolen or vandalised, prompting concerns among residents and volunteers who maintain the Christian installations.